The Ministry for National Economy (NGM) and the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DUIHK) concluded an agreement on vocational training. The document was signed by Minister of State for the Labour Market and Vocational Training Sándor Czomba and DUIHK President Dale A Martin.

At the signing ceremony, Dale A Martin said that the Chamber prioritized the modernization of vocational training already twenty years ago, when it was established. The organization, he added, can draw from the experiences of the German dual vocational training system, a scheme of international renown.

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As Sándor Czomba stressed, in Hungary the dual vocational training system was launched in 2012 with 37 thousand apprentices, while this figure today exceeds 50 thousand and the Government aims to bring the number of those learning a skill at an enterprise with a student contract to 70 thousand by the end of 2018.

The Minister of State emphasised that this agreement will assist the implementation of the vocational training concept endorsed by the Government. The goal of this scheme is to provide labour force in the proper quality and quantity for the entire economy and to have skilled professionals who can find jobs after leaving school.

He called it important that skilled work and vocational training must regain its social status. They also want to achieve that enterprises no longer consider it a burden to employ apprentices, as they are thus building their own future.

Sándor Czomba pointed out that in order to assist the finding of a job after leaving school the Government launched a programme under which the 70-80-90 percent of the gross wage and contributions of an ex-apprentice are paid for by the state of Hungary for up to one year, provided the enterprise pledges to continue to employ the person even after that period. The programme with funding of HUF 7.5bn aims to engage several thousands of people.

The number of German enterprises active in Hungary is about 6 thousand and these employ some 300 thousand people, he added.

Dale A Martin pointed out that the members of the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce – as the largest investor group of Hungary – have a stake in establishing a well-functioning vocational training system, which provides young people with a thorough training that they can accomplish through real-life practice at an enterprise. This, in turn, improves job prospects for them on the labour market. On the other hand, companies also gain through highly skilled employees as they boost company competitiveness.

(Ministry for National Economy)